Patent GB-839456-A (GB)
Title: Process for improving the antistatic finish of textile materials consisting wholly or partly of hydrophobic synthetic fibres
IPC: D06M15/263
Filed: 1956-06-04
Abstract: Textile materials composed wholly or partly of hydrophobic synthetic fibres are treated with an aqueous solution containing (1) a copolymer of an alpha-beta-unsaturated dicarboxylic acid and a vinyl compound, for example, a copolymer of maleic anhydride and styrene or an alkyl-vinyl ether, in the form of its salt with a volatile base or with an alkali metal hydroxide when a salt of a volatile base, e.g. ammonium chloride, is also present, and (2) a water-soluble polyglycol or copolymer of ethylene oxide and another alkylene oxide, having a molecular weight of 400 to 10,000, or a condensation product of a polyglycol and a bivalent acylating agent containing at least 2 free hydroxyl groups.  The materials are then dried and heated to above 100 DEG  C.  The materials treated may be yarns, fabrics, hosiery or felts consisting wholly or partly of staple fibres of polyethylene-glycol terephthalate, polycaprolactam, poly-acrylonitrile or cellulose esters, or of polyester fibres which have been partially superficially saponified.  The polyglycol used may be wax-like and may be in such proportion that the number of hydroxyl groups corresponds to the number of carboxyl groups present or liberated by the salt of the copolymer. The base of the copolymer salt may be ammonia or a volatile amine or a mixture of ammonia and an alkali metal hydroxide.  Some of the carboxyl groups in the copolymer may be amidated by reacting the copolymer with ammonia, butylamine, dodecylamine, gamma dimethylaminopropylamine or N - trimethyl - N - gamma - aminopropyl - ammonium hydroxide.  The materials may be after-treated with dimethyl palm kernel oilalkyl-benzyl ammonium chloride, stearic acid n - propylamide - omega - trimethyl ammonium chloride or other cationic softening agent and/or may be finally treated with an anionic compound such as Marseilles soap or oleyl sarcosine.  The treating solution may also contain pentadecylamine, octadecylmorpholine or a mixture of N-dimethyl-palm-kernel oilalkylamines which, upon volatilization of the base, react with the copolymer to form salts and /or amides. Silicic acid may also be added to the treatment bath. The polyglycol component may include terminally hydroxylated poly-oxyethylation reaction products with compounds which contain a higher hydrocarbon radical and a labile hydrogen atom, e.g. palm kernel oil acid-amide or -ethanolamide, N-dihydroxyethyl) octadecylamine, oleyl alcohol or stearic acid.  The polyglycol may be polyethylene or polypropylene glycol or a copolymer of ethylene oxide and 1 : 2-propylene oxide or trimethylol propane or a condensation product which contains at least two hydroxyl groups of a polyglycol and a di-isocyanate or dicarboxylic acid or halide, e.g. adipic acid or isophthalic acid dichloride.  The heating period may produce a total or partial esterification of the components.  In Example (5), a polyethylene glycol terephthalate garment is treated with a solution containing caustic soda and dimethyl-palm kernel oil-alkyl-benzylammonium chloride, is rinsed at 40-60 DEG  C. and treated with a solution containing the sodium salt of a hydrolysed maleic anhydridestyrene copolymer, polyethylene glycol 6000, and ammonium chloride, is dried at 80 DEG  C. and heated at 130 DEG  C., and washed with needle soap at 70 DEG  C.  The treatment provides an antistatic effect, a soft handle, and a decreased tendency to pilling and soiling.